EMBARK OKC and NewView Oklahoma Recognize White Cane Safety Day

Oklahoma City, OK (October 9, 2017) – EMBARK OKC and NewView Oklahoma will recognize White CaneSafety Day on Friday, October 13th, to call attention to important travel safety factors needed for the blind andvisually impaired to independently navigate the transit system. NewView Oklahoma employees and clients willbe riding the bus throughout the day to highlight the significance of the white cane as a tool of independenceand mobility for people who are blind or visually impaired.

The ability to move freely on one’s own is an important global cause for the blind and visually impairedbecause challenges to their mobility are ever-changing as communities are updated. Being able to travel towork or school is paramount for blind and visually impaired individuals in achieving their maximumindependence.

“The safety of our customers is the top priority at EMBARK. Traveling safely depends a great deal on visualcues or signals between other drivers, cyclists and pedestrians,” said Jason Ferbrache, administrator ofEMBARK. “Making our community safer and more accessible means calling attention to the white cane andwhat it represents for our visually disabled friends, neighbors and colleagues. We want to help ensure thateveryone can confidently and safely travel throughout Oklahoma City.”

The International White Cane Day, established on the initiative of the World Federation of the Blind, iscelebrated worldwide annually on October 15th with the mission to educate the world about blindness andhow the visually impaired can live and work independently with the aid of the white cane. It is also anopportunity to demonstrate how the visually handicapped give back to their communities, celebratethe abilities and successes achieved by blind people in a sighted world and honor the manycontributions made by the visually impaired.

"The white cane gives the blind and visually impaired the freedom to travel independently to participate morefully in the life of their communities,” said Lauren Branch, NewView president and CEO. “With Orientation andmobility training, people using the white cane can enjoy greater mobility and safety by determining thelocation of curbs, steps, uneven pavement, and other physical obstacles in their way.”EMBARK provides bus, ferry transit, bike share and downtown parking solutions in the Oklahoma City metroarea. Our transportation options connect people with their community, while easing traffic congestion andreducing air pollution.

NewView Oklahoma is the only private in-state provider of comprehensive vision rehabilitation services toblind and vision-impaired Oklahomans. They have been awarded a 5-year accreditation certification throughthe National Accreditation Council (NAC), the only international accrediting body devoted to servingorganizations that provide programs for blind and low vision consumers – recognizing NewView Oklahoma nationally as an organization that delivers the highest quality rehabilitation, employment and education services for people who are blind or have low vision. To learn more about NewView Oklahoma’s programs or clinical services operated by the organization, visit www.newviewoklahoma.org.

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About EMBARK

EMBARK is the business unit of the Central Oklahoma Transportation & Parking Authority (COTPA) – a public trustadministered by the City of Oklahoma City. EMBARK is responsible for providing safe, efficient and convenient publictransportation and downtown parking solutions to the greater Oklahoma City area. EMBARK is the 2016 NorthAmerica Outstanding Public Transit System of the Year.To learn more about EMBARK and view bus schedules and routes, visit www.embarkok.com or call (405) 235-RIDE(7433) for personal assistance from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. To learn more about carpooling or to be matched with someone inyour area, visit www.getaroundok.com.COTPA is celebrating 50 years of leadership in providing public transit and downtown parking services to Oklahoma’scapital city.

About NewView Oklahoma

NewView Oklahoma is a private, not-for-profit organization founded in 1949 with a mission to empower people who are blind andvisually impaired to achieve their maximum level of independence through employment, low vision rehabilitation, and communityoutreach. NewView Oklahoma is the leading employer of the blind and visually impaired individuals in Oklahoma andoffers the only comprehensive Low Vision clinics in the state. Visit NewView online at www.newviewoklahoma.org orfollow on Facebook and on Twitter.